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PETA

PETA

PETA, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, is an animal rights group. PETA focuses on animal advocacy in the cases of factory farms, the clothing industry, research laboratories, and the entertainment industry. The organization also works toward legislation to protect animals, stages protests and rallies, performs animal rescues and uses advertising to disseminate its messages.

PETA engages in a self-described “colorful and controversial” approach to raising awareness for animal rights. It has recently garnered considerable attention for its anti-fur campaigns where protesters, including a number of popular celebrities, appear nude, either in marches, in pictures, or Web PSAs.

PETA is organized as a non-profit 501(c)(3)organization. It employs 300 people and counts more than two million people among its members. The president is Ingrid Newkirk, a British-born animal rights activist who has worked in the animal protection movement for more than 35 years.

Newkirk founded the organization back in 1980 along with fellow animal rights activist Alex Pacheco.